What Is the Best Tool Belt You Can Get Your Hands On?

You'd think that as long as you're aware of what you're looking for, then choosing a tool belt for you would be a breeze. It's not hard to choose the best tool belt if you only have a couple of available ones on hand. But if you have to deal with a dozen or so tool belts, you need to set ground rules so as to end up with a proper shortlist of viable belts.

What to Look for in a Tool Belt in a Nutshell

When searching for the absolute best tool belt for you, you should look for the following.

Fit and Finish

The belt should fit you perfectly or it can be adjusted to that end. It should also have the right aesthetic finish to suit your personal taste. It should be the right size. It should not be too big or too loose or too tight to fit.

Durability

Your tool belt should be tough enough to last for more than just a couple of weeks or half a year or so. You want something that you can use for far longer than even some of your power tools.

Quality

You can judge a tool belt's quality by how excellent its material is, how sturdy the seams and the stitching are, and how well-placed the rivets are. The workmanship of a given belt speaks for itself.

Pockets and Holders

Naturally, a tool belt is only as good as its number of pockets. Its usefulness is directly linked to its number of usable pockets as well as hammer holders. These containers should be located conveniently too.

Customization

Customization options in regards to the belt and buckle adjustability and comfort, the amount of tool holders and pockets, and so forth can also influence your ultimate shopping decision.

Ambidextrous Use and Application

Some people are left handed and require a left-handed tool belt. Other workers also like it when they can use their left and right hands to access different tools on their belt. The kind of trade used should also dictate what sort of belt you should get.

Value

Is the belt cost-effective? Are you getting the most bang out of your buck or the most value out of your investment from it? Is the price right relative to what your tool belt brings to the proverbial table?

Belt Selection by Workmanship and Size

The quality of a tool belt mostly depends on its component parts of rivets, stitching, seams, and material. You should also have a belt and buckle that's perfectly adjustable to your needs in terms of comfort and usability. Some belts also come in various sizes while other belts allege they're "one-size-fits-all". There's a limit what this "one-size" rule entails though.

Single-size belts might not be for you if you have a waistline that's less than 34 inches. Rather than assume that the average worker is fit, manufacturers of these tool belts instead view them as stereotypically portly or having an above-average midsection. You'd think it's the opposite and only trim or cut workers can make use of these belts instead.

Build Quality in Terms of Rigs

The highest build quality among the tool belt materials available are oil-tanned leather rigs. They're well-made and tough, allowing for some really thick leather belts with excellent padding and beefy rivets when all is said and done. There are even belts that have built-in loops for suspenders to boot. These suspenders allow you to hang up the belt or carry it around when you're not using it.

Meanwhile, fixed bag leather belts had a disadvantage according to many a worker out there. That's because they're not adjustable and they have the risk of being uncomfortable to wear. They can also limit individual customization options, which workers prefer to have. They also have limited fastener-stowing and smaller-tool-storage capacities compared to their more adjustable counterparts.

A non-adjustable tool belt is as limiting as a non-adjustable pants belt, in short. In regards to nylon style bags, the detriments they have to toughness is balanced out in terms of lightweight comfort then you wear them. They're perfect for non-professional use even though many pros will outvote nylon usage in favor of the tougher leather belt. Senior citizens and the elderly can also prefer nylon because it can only carry so much, just like their own aged backs.

As for the Gatorback B145 Carpenters Triple Combo, the title for the tool itself emphasizes the need to get the best fit by measuring your waist size along with your clothes instead of without them (since it has a tight fit and your clothes could add extra inches to it). This is Gatorback's most heavy-duty carpenter belt that's called the Triple Combo because it has back support, front support, and side support combined. This reduces the chances of the belt slipping off of your waist or your tools dragging the belt down to the ground. It's almost more like a suspender than a belt.

Like with the MagnoGrip 203-017, the Gatorback B145 Carpenters Triple Combo tool belt emphasizes comfort along with durability together rather than focusing on one or the other. It promises itself to be the most comfortable belt on the market, and from my experience, it has a valid claim to the title because it has back support that keeps the tools from doing a number on your backbone or spine. It comes with a tape measure holster, a hammer loop, and three pouches. Herein lies the problem with the Gatorback B145—it's a bit too basic with the number of pouches or pockets available, so its functionality as a versatile tool belt is sacrificed for your comfort in wearing it.

2. MagnoGrip 203-017 Magnetic Carpenter's Tool Belt

The MagnoGrip 203-017 tool belt has a main "gimmick" of keeping your screws and metal tools from spilling out of it by having magnetic nail pockets. The magnetized pockets will keep the nails in place even if they're (the pockets) are open, thus you won't have to worry about losing a nail, a screw, a bolt, or a nut ever again by bending down wrong or opening your pockets then forgetting that they're open. The belt itself is made from 100% polyester, thus giving you a balance of comfort and toughness (the best of both worlds with what's offered by the Custom Leathercraft IP489X and the DEWALT DG5103).

You can also easily access the main pockets of this tool belt due to the fact that they're always open like pants pockets. The item also has 12 pockets available for storing tools (not as many as the 23 pockets of the Custom LeatherCraft 1614 but a decent enough number for the average DIY worker like myself) and has decent reinforcement with rivets on key stress points. It would otherwise rip itself apart from its seams when a sufficient amount of weight is put on it without the strategic placement of those reinforcing rivets. At any rate, the MagnoGrip gets plus points in my book for incorporating a unique magnetic pocket gimmick seldom seen in many other tool belts out there.

This 23-pokcet tool belt is known instead for being heavy duty enough to store all sorts of heavy tools without breaking or ripping itself to shreds because of the weight (versus the emphasis on lightness and comfort found with the DEWALT DG5103 but similar to the emphasis on durability found with the Custom Leathercraft IP489X). It's durable because it's made of double-layered 600D polyester fabric and includes padded suspenders that don't rip, tear, or break at the seams from lugging around a multimeter or power tool. The suspenders are made to distribute weight as equally as possible.

This ensures that there's less strain on your hips and lower back when wearing this combo tool belt system. They're completely adjustable to boot to make them perfectly fit you. Essentially, there's support everywhere for the belt so that it won't collapse under the weight of your tools. It even has an easy carry handle design that allows you to easily store equipment and make simple adjustments for comfort without spilling its contents all over the floor (thus potentially ruining your power tools through a hard fall or losing all sorts of screws you have stored). You can access your items easily through the tapered main pockets as well. Meanwhile, the custom pocket is also available for L-rulers or square rulers storage for good measure.

Yes, DeWalt also has its own tool belt model, and it's the DEWALT DG5103 Electrician Pouch. Like the Custom Leathercraft IP489X, the DG5103 has a lot going for it, like the fact that it has two connection options (attach to the belt up to 2¾-inches wide or rear clip), sleeve pockets and web loops to give you a myriad of storage options, and large main pocket and small front pocket to allow convenient access to whatever items, tools, gadgets, or measuring devices you wish to store there. It's a worker's pouch or tool belt designed to hold your essentials, from electrical tape on a special trap or a carabiner for keys as well as a large tool sleeve for your handy flashlight.

This tool belt showcases its durability in the form of being made of ballistic-grade poly fabric that has reinforced edges so that it can withstand prolonged wear and tear. It also has other storage options available to you in terms of sleeve pockets and web loops. You can store away all of your screwdrivers or sling your hammer on these sleeves and loops. You can also store your screws away in these pockets on short notice. The DEWALT DG5103 is a bag that's light so that when you walk up to a flight of stairs with your tools, it won't take forever and you won't feel like you're lugging a ball and chain on your waist.

The benefits of Custom Leathercraft IP489X as a polyweb tool belt include the fact that it's convenient to wear with its quick-release buckle, has three pockets, and is quite durable because it's made of heavy duty suede leather. The two main pockets serve as containers for your nails and tools. The smaller pocket meanwhile houses your nail sets, pencils, and pliers. It also has a leather side loop that serves as clip for your tape measure, a combination square holder, or hammer holder. It's also big enough to fit a waist measuring from 29 to 46 inches. You have pockets and loops for every last tool and item.

It can carry a handful of tools plus a measuring tape or you can maximize its pockets by carrying a whole tool box's worth of items. For my money, it's perfect for around-the-home DIY jobs or as a tool belt for professionals. The Custom Leathercraft IP489X is great for construction workers and contractors, but even if you're not either of those, it can also hold non-tool or non-mechanic items like cameras, box cutters, flashlights, pens, and a phone on top of moisture meters, measuring tapes, and various nails and screws. From experience, you can use it for years and it will still look the same as the day you bought it (provided you take good care of it).

Conclusion

Although I've started my career with a soft leather tool belt that's inexpensive and replaceable, as time went on and I went through these belts like tissue paper, I ended up buying a heavier leather rig and got the most out of my money from it. Then, as I got older and as my back started giving in to age, I started going for the nylon-style rig with padded belt for my own comfort. The bottom line here is go with the option that works best for you and your unique circumstances.

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